Canopy for aircraft maintenance

ABSTRACT

A canopy may be attached to two or more blades of a helicopter. The canopy may span between two adjacent blades of a helicopter. The canopy may be modular in design to allow additional canopies to be attached, spanning from the first canopy to the next adjacent helicopter blade. The canopy can be installed and removed by one mechanic and may also provide protection from adverse weather conditions to allow for maintenance to be performed safely and efficiently in a field or flight line environment. Utilization of the canopy may reduce personnel subjected to heat, rain, and snow related injuries.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/159,581, filed Mar. 12, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to helicopters and, more particularly, to a multi-sectional cover that attaches to helicopter blades to provide protection from the sun and the elements.

When performing maintenance on a helicopter, the technician may be exposed to the elements, such as wind, rain, blowing debris, and the like. In addition, when servicing the helicopter, some components may be sensitive to debris such as blowing sand. A canvas cover is often used to protect the technician and sensitive equipment during service. These covers are often heavy and bulky and may inadvertently damage aircraft equipment by scratching the windows due to foreign object damage (F.O.D.) picked up by the cover while on the ground. The canvases of the prior art may break or bend antennas, damage outside air temperature sensors, and damage pilot tubes in the process of installation and removal.

As can be seen, there is a need for a canopy that may be easily secured, for example, by one person, to a helicopter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a canopy system for a helicopter comprises a first blade sock encompassing at least a portion of a first helicopter blade; a second blade sock encompassing at least a portion of a second, adjacent helicopter blade; and a canopy expanded between and attached to the first blade sock and the second blade sock.

In another aspect of the present invention, a canopy system comprises a blade sock configured to slide over a first helicopter blade; a blade sock fastener located on a bottom portion of the blade sock; a canopy having one edge affixed along a length of the blade sock; and a canopy fastener attached along another edge of the canopy, the another edge being adjacent to the edge affixed to the length of the blade sock.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a canopy, according to an embodiment of the present invention, installed on a helicopter;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view a blade sock of the canopy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the blade sock of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the canopy of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the canopy of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a canopy that may be attached to two or more blades of a helicopter. The canopy may span between two adjacent blades of a helicopter. The canopy may be modular in design to allow additional canopies to be attached, spanning from the first canopy to the next adjacent helicopter blade. The canopy can be installed and removed by one mechanic and may also provide protection from adverse weather conditions to allow for maintenance to be performed safely and efficiently in a field or flight line environment. Utilization of the canopy of the present invention may reduce personnel subjected to heat, rain, and snow related injuries.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, there is shown a canopy system 10 installed on two adjacent blades 36 of a helicopter 38. The canopy system 10 may include a canopy/sock combination unit 14 and a blade sock 12.

The combination unit may include a blade sock portion 16 and a triangular-shaped canopy portion 34. The blade sock portion 16 may be designed to slide over the helicopter blade 36-1 and may have at least one tie down strap 18. The tie down strap may wrap around the blade 36-1 and attach with, for example, a hook and loop fastener 26, such as Velcro®. The blade sock portion 16 may have the canopy portion 34 permanently attached by, for example sewing or gluing. In an alternate embodiment, the combination unit 14 may be formed from a single piece of material being folded and attached to itself to form the blade sock portion 16. The blade sock portion 16 may include a sock tip cover 20, covering an end portion (not shown) of the blade 36-1. A bottom side (that is, the side facing the ground when installed) of the blade sock portion 16 may have a loop part of a hook and loop fastener (or a hook part of a hook and loop fastener, as discussed below). A top side (that is, the side facing the sky when installed) of the canopy portion 34 may have a hook part (or a loop part if the blade sock portion 16 has a hook part) of a hook and loop fastener along an edge opposite the sock tip cover 20 of the blade sock portion 16. The blade sock portion 16 may include openings 24 for blade trim tabs (not shown).

The blade sock 12 may include a looped piece of material approximately as long as the blade 36-2. The bottom of the blade sock 12, similar to blade sock portion 16, may have hook and loop type fastener that may attach to the canopy portion 34. The blade sock 12 may include at least one tie down strap 18, similar to that of the blade sock portion 16 of the combination unit 14.

To install the canopy system 10, the user may slide the blade sock 12 onto at least a portion of one helicopter blade 36-2. On an adjacent helicopter blade 36-1, the blade sock portion 16 of the combination unit 34 may be slid thereover. The canopy 34 may then be attached to the blade sock 12 by the hook and loop fasteners. If more than one section between blades 36 is to be covered with the canopy system, then the blade sock 12 should be installed on blade 36-3 and another combination unit 14 may be installed on blade 36-2. This two-combination unit 14 system may cover one-half of the area on a four-blade helicopter 38.

The canopy system 10 may include tie down lanyards 22 located on at a distal end of at least one of the blade socks 12 or blade sock portions 16. The tie down lanyards 22 may help align the installed section of the canopy system 10 relative to the helicopter 38. The tie down lanyards 22 may also be used to secure the blades 36 to prevent undesired rotation. In one embodiment, the tie down lanyards 22 may be located at the sock tip cover 20 of the blade sock 12 or the blade sock portion 16.

The canopy 34 may include vent holes 28 which may provide relief in windy conditions. The vent holes 28 may include a vent screen 32 installed in the vent holes 28. Flaps 30 may cover the vent holes 28 so that rain, for example, may not pass through the vent holes 28.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, slits 40 may be cut along an edge 42 of the canopy 34. The slits may have a flap 42 that covers a top side of the slits 40, prevent rain, for example, from penetrating the canopy 34. A side curtain (not shown) may include straps that attach into the slits 40. The side curtain may then be allowed to hang from the canopy 34 to the ground, providing addition protection within the confines of the canopy system.

The canopy system 10 may be made out of an extremely lightweight, durable, UV resistant material and can be set up by one person utilizing an expandable/retractable pole. All sections of the canopy system 10 may be conveniently stored in one back-pack sized bag for transportation and storage.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A canopy system for a helicopter, the canopy system comprising: a first blade sock configured to encompass at least a portion of a first helicopter blade; a second blade sock configured to encompass at least a portion of a second, adjacent helicopter blade; and a canopy expandable between and attached to the first blade sock and the second blade sock.
 2. The canopy system of claim 1, wherein: the first blade sock is permanently attached to the canopy; and the second blade sock is removably attached to the canopy.
 3. The canopy system of claim 1, further comprising at least one vent in the canopy.
 4. The canopy system of claim 3, further comprising at least one flap covering the at least one vent.
 5. The canopy system of claim 1, wherein the first blade sock and the second blade sock each have a fastener on an underside thereof.
 6. The canopy system of claim 1, further comprising at least one tie down lanyard located at a distal end of at least one of the first blade sock and the second blade sock.
 7. The canopy system of claim 1, further comprising slots cut along an outer edge of the canopy, the slots capable of retaining an outer curtain to the canopy system.
 8. A canopy system comprising: a blade sock configured to slide over a first helicopter blade; a blade sock fastener located on a bottom portion of the blade sock; a canopy having one edge affixed along a length of the blade sock; and a canopy fastener attached along another edge of the canopy, the another edge being adjacent to the edge affixed to the length of the blade sock.
 9. The canopy system of claim 8, further comprising: a second blade sock configured to slide over a second helicopter blade adjacent to the first helicopter blade; and a second blade sock fastener located on the bottom portion of the second blade sock, wherein the canopy fastener removably attaches to the second blade sock fastener to support the canopy between the first and second helicopter blades.
 10. The canopy system of claim 8, further comprising: at least one vent in the canopy; at least one flap covering the at least one vent; and at least one tie down lanyard located at a distal end of at least one of the first blade sock and the second blade sock. 